Prime Minister's Office
English rendering of PM’s speech at the foundation stones laying ceremony of various development projects in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Har har Mahadev!
My best wishes to all the mothers, sisters and the people on this auspicious occasion of sun worship i.e. Chhat.
I wish happiness and prosperity for every household on the occasion of this four-day festival.
My best wishes to you for all the upcoming festivals viz. Deepavali, Bhai dooj and Govardhan Puja, together.
On the stage, my cabinet colleague Shri Nitin Gadkari ji, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath ji, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya ji, Minister in the UP Government Shri Suresh Khanna ji, my Parliamentary Colleagues Dr. Mahendranath Pandey ji and Shri Ramcharit Nishad ji, the other dignitaries present here and my dear brothers and sisters of Varanasi.
Friends,
After the festivals of Deepavali and Dussehra, once again I have got the opportunity to meet you all, the people of Kashi. This time I was fortunate to get a darshan of Baba Kedarnath on Deepavali. Now, within a week, I got the opportunity to seek your blessings in the city of Baba Vishwanath. I was blessed to have worshipped mother Bhagirathi in Uttarakhand while today I have got the opportunity to get the darshan of mother Ganga.
This day also marks the death anniversary of the Mahamana Malviya ji. With great respect, I salute his great work and penance today.
Friends,
This day is historic for Kashi, Purvanchal, Eastern India and the entire India.
Today Varanasi and the country are a witness to the work of development which should have been completed decades ago but unfortunately that didn't happen.
Today Varanasi and the country are also a witness to the fact that whenever a task is completed with a resolution, the ultimate picture is so magnificent, bright and glorious.
Today Varanasi and the country are also a witness to the concept of how the Next Generation Infrastructure in the country is going to rejuvenate the transport systems.
As your Prime servant as well as a Parliamentarian from Varanasi constituency, this occasion has brought twice the happiness for me. There is indeed a spiritual link with this land but today there has been a transmission of a new energy that connects all the three - water, land and sky.
Friends,
Just sometime back, I welcomed the country's first container vessel that reached via the waterway. At the same time, the multi modal terminal built at a cost of more than Rs. 200 crores was launched. It took decades to complete this work but I am delighted today that the nation's dreams could be fulfilled on the land of Kashi. The operation of these container vessels means Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Purvanchal and Eastern India are now connected to the Bay of Bengal by waterway.
Brothers and sisters,
Today various projects like the road connecting Babatpur airport to the city, Ring road, projects related to the connectivity of Kashi or the projects to lay underground electricity wires or making mother Ganga pollution-free, have either been launched or the foundation stones have been laid. These projects worth approximately more than Rs.2500 crores will paint a grand and a magnificent image of Varanasi. I congratulate all the people of Kashi and Purvanchal for these numerous projects from the bottom of my heart.
Friends,
This is the first time since independence that we have been successful to utilize our waterways for trade and business to such a grand level. The people of Kashi are a witness to the fact that four years ago when I had placed my idea of connecting Varanasi with Haldia through waterway, everyone had made a mockery of it and had said negative things about it. However, the vessel that arrived from Kolkata just a short while ago, has given a befitting reply to the critics.
This first container vessel of the country is not just a part of the freight transport process but also an evidence of a new vision for New India. It symbolizes that idea where the country's resources and capability are trusted.
Brothers and sisters,
The container vessel that has reached Varanasi today has carried industrial goods from Kolkata and will take back fertilizers. That is, the goods including that of fertilizers produced in the factories in UP and Purvanchal will directly reach the ports of Eastern India.
This is just an example. That day is not far when all the vegetables, food grains and the products of my weaver brothers in Varanasi and the surrounding areas will be transported through this waterway. Just imagine, such a great path has been opened up for the farmers and lakhs of people associated with small scale industries of this region. This waterway will play a pivotal role in getting inputs, raw materials for their industries and agriculture and sending the products back after value addition.
Thanks a lot for your love and enthusiasm. I offer my heartfelt gratitude for your love and enthusiasm. But please save this enthusiasm for 2019. Shall I start? Shall I speak? Will you listen to me peacefully or keep on shouting 'Modi! Modi!'? I am really grateful to you for so much love and zeal but today the people of Kashi want to hear and understand the nuances of it. So, let me try to explain everything, how the transformation has been made and how the transformation will be made.
In the coming days, when the RoRo service will be flagged off from the Multi Modal Terminal constructed at Varanasi, you will get another alternative to cover longer distances. Huge tanker-trucks, buses and cars will easily reach other cities with the help of ships.
Friends,
If the quantity of goods that was transported here today through ship was transported by roads, it would have taken 16 trucks to do the job. Moreover, transporting freight through waterway has saved Rs.4500 per container. That is, there has been a direct saving of Rs.70000-750000 on the goods that have reached. In a nutshell, this waterway will save money and time, reduce the traffic on roads, save fuel and also provide a relief from pollution.
Friends,
There was a time when massive ships used to sail in the rivers of our country. However, after independence, instead of paying attention to strengthening these routes, they were neglected. The country was at a loss. Just imagine how the previous government did injustice to the country's capability and the power of the rivers.
Our government is working to end this injustice that was being done to the country's capability. Today work on more than 100 waterways is underway. Varanasi-Haldia waterway is one of them. Several facilities are being developed at a cost of more than Rs.5000 crores between the Varanasi- Haldia stretch in Farrakka, Sahibganj and Buxar. This waterway will benefit not only Uttar Pradesh but also a major part of eastern India i.e. Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Brothers and sisters,
This waterway will aid not only in freight transport but also in increasing tourism and connect the pilgrimage centres of eastern India with East Asian countries. Purvanchal including Varanasi and parts of the Eastern India will be known for cruise tourism with time. And this will be in line with Kashi's culture and civilization. The map of development will be worked out by blending the traditional Kashi with its modern form.
Brothers and sisters,
These ancient routes with modern facilities will become a place of confluence of nature, culture and adventure.
Friends,
Varanasi, Bhadohi and Mirzapur have been the centres of carpet manufacturing and are now becoming a global hub for textile export of the country. Last month, for the first time, India Carpet Expo was organized successfully in Deen Dayal Hastakala Sankul. I had inaugurated this expo from Delhi. The national waterway started between Varanasi and Kolkata will also help the people associated with this sector. They will be highly benefitted for their exports.
Friends,
There is a direct relation between easy accessibility and convenience; and sometimes convenience becomes the reason for pride. The world class road connecting Babatpur airport is one such example. I was told that people come from far-flung areas to click selfies there. Varanasi and this road are the focus in social media. This is the season of festivals. Whoever among you has returned to his hometown by flight must have been filled with immense pride after coming out of the Babatpur airport. I was told that the people, who had gone out of the city for some days and have now started returning to the city, are finding it hard to believe that they are passing through the same Harihua and Tarna-shivpur road. Try to recall those days when you used to miss your flights due to heavy traffic jams on this road and you had to leave your home several hours before to catch a flight. The potholes on the roads used to make you cry. Now this situation has changed.
Friends,
Constructed at a cost of more than Rs.800 crores, the road connecting Babatpur airport and the city was not only widened and made 4-lane, but has started attracting tourists from around the world. This road will not only save the time for the people of Kashi and other tourists but will also facilitate the journey to Jaunpur, Sultanpur and Lucknow. The first phase of the city's Ring Road has been dedicated to the people of Kashi today. With this road constructed at a cost of approximately Rs.760 crores, the vehicles travelling to and from Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Azamgarh and Ayodhya will not have to enter the city.
Friends,
These two road projects were decades-old demand of the city of Varanasi. Just 6 months after becoming the Prime Minister, I had started my efforts to complete these two projects at a rapid pace. These two projects are now complete with your cooperation. Now the work on the second phase of the Ring Road is also progressing at a rapid pace. This too will be completed soon. These projects will reduce traffic jams and pollution in Varanasi and also save your time. This will also facilitate the tourists going to Sarnath. The foundation stone of the heliport to be constructed in Ramnagar has also been laid just a short while ago. This too will benefit the tourism here.
Friends,
Connectivity increases not only tourism potential and employment opportunities but also trust in the country. All the projects that have been launched or the foundation stone for which have been laid today in Varanasi will open up new opportunities of employment for the youth.
Brothers and sisters,
For the BJP governments and the governments led by the BJP, the development of the country and its countrymen is everything. Now the country desires only the politics of development. The public makes decisions on the basis of development and not on the basis of vote bank politics.
We can clearly see that in the last four years the modern infrastructure has developed at a rapid pace. New airports at difficult terrains, the trains that have reached for the first time in the tribal belts and remote areas of the north eastern India, the rural roads and the Grand National Highways and the network of expressway have become an identity of our government.
Friends,
We have not only emphasized upon the development of the resources but have also seriously worked on every need of the common man like cleanliness and health. The percentage of rural cleanliness before 2014 which was less than 40% has now become more than 95%. Due to Ayushman Bharat Mission, the poorest of the poor has now been assured of treatment in the hospitals for serious diseases. Under this scheme, till date, free treatment has been provided to more than 2 lakh poor. And it has not even been more than 40 days since the scheme was launched.
Friends,
We have not only focused on the health of the people but have also taken a pledge to keep our lifelines i.e. our rivers healthy. To achieve this, the Namami Gange Mission that has been going on for the cleanliness of mother Ganga has now reached a new level.
Just sometime back, I got the opportunity to launch and lay the foundation-stone of four projects worth more than Rs.400 crores for the treatment of the sewage water flowing into the Ganges. Three sewer treatment plants in Dinapur will prevent the dirty water from the city from flowing into mother Ganga for several years to come. Similarly, the plant at Ramnagar will also be ready to serve mother Ganga.
Friends,
Our government is not wasting the money meant for Ganga ji but utilizing it to treat the filthy water flowing into the Ganga. Under the Namami Gange Mission, till date projects worth Rs.23000 crores have been approved. Work is going on for the projects worth Rs.5000 crores. Now almost all the villages on the banks of river Ganga have become Open Defecation Free. These projects are part of our resolution to make the Ganga clean from Gangotri to Gangasagar.
Today, this fast progress in this Mission is because of public participation and the sense of responsibility in every citizen towards rivers. Otherwise, we are well aware of the fact how the previous governments had spent thousands of crores of rupees in the name of cleaning Ganga.
Friends,
The work of power reforms in some of the areas of Varanasi has also been launched today. In addition to the old Kashi, the work has also been completed for other areas under IPDS scheme. All the dangling electric wires have been put underground. This too is an important step towards fulfillment of our dreams of a grand Kashi. In the coming days, this work will also be extended to other areas of the city.
Friends,
With your efforts and inspiration, today a new image of the ancient Kashi has started appearing before the country and the world. Now we have to preserve it and keep it safe so that our glorious city will be honoured all over the world.
Next year, Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will also be held on the holy land of Kashi in January. Just like all of you, I will be present in Varanasi to welcome people from all over the world for this event. Ardha-Kumbha will also be held in Prayagraj at that time. From there, many people will come to Varanasi.
We all wish that the amalgamation of the glory of the world's oldest city Kashi and the best facilities takes place in such a way that the Kashi's memories become indelible in the minds of the visitors and they visit the city again and again.
In the end, once again, I would like to congratulate you all for these numerous facilities and new development projects. My best wishes to you all my friends of Purvanchal and Eastern India for Chhat Puja.
Jay Chhati maiyya! Har har Mahadev!